The Bet
by Legolas Anime Luver
Summary: Goten and Trunks have a disagreement and it leads to an argument. So to settle things they make a bet. But how do they prove who is right, if they aren't sure if time traveling is real to begin with?
1. Chapter 1

THE BET: CHAPTER ONE-The Bet

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Trunks: 8 years old

Goten: 7 years old

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"Trunks! No way! I don't believe you!" Goten as he glared at Trunks who was holding a book that he had just finished reading, they were hanging out at Capsule Corp., and naturally were in Trunks third bedroom where all of his toys were being kept.

"Oh come on Goten!" Trunks as he tilted his head, it was rare that Goten and he had a disagreement. In fact it was rare that Goten didn't believe anything he said.

"No! Trunks! I won't!" Goten as he continued to glare at him.

"Oh come on Goten you have to!" Trunks as he looked at his book and back at Goten.

"NO! NOT WITHOUT PROOF!" Goten shouted as he crossed his arms and turned around, showing how stubborn he was being, Trunks rolled his eyes when he noticed Goten turned around with a grin. "I know! How about we make a bet?"

"Huh? A Bet?" Trunks

"Yeah. On time travel. I bet that there is no such thing." Goten as he put out his hand.

"Alright. I bet there is." Trunks as he was about to shake Goten's hand.

"Oh." Goten taking back his hand, "Wait, the proof. Hmmm, oh I know! You will have to go two times to prove it, and you need to go in the hyperbolic time chamber oh grow your hair out when you are in there and bring back pictures-you have to be in them!"

Trunks with a sweat drop on his head, "Anything else?"

"Oh. And a new set of clothes!"

Trunks thought about all the proof and wondered how on Earth he was going to accomplish all of that, but not wanting to show his nervousness thought of something, "You will have to see me off both times."

"Okay!" Goten as he smirked, feeling confident that he would win the bet, shook Trunks' hand, then got a piece of paper and wrote everything they had said down and wrote his name, Trunks then wrote his and put it away in his and Goten's memorabilia box.

"Alright, now where should I go in my time traveling." Trunks as he thought about when would be a safe way to enter a time stream, "It has to be a time which we are familiar with. Nothing too dangerous and not anything that would make a huge difference…"

"Hey Trunks, what would happen if you ran in to yourself?" Goten as he tilted his head, he didn't believe in time traveling at all but the topic he had to admit did strike his interest-and he knew that Trunks enjoyed mysterious topics too. That is why after Trunks read the birthday gift that he had given him-the book _The Time Machine_ by H.G.Wells-he immediately gave him a call.

"You know, I bet something really bad, but that might be because it would be me. Wait! If I go to a time that I can't recognize myself it would probably be safe!" Trunks said as he thought of going maybe when he was still a baby or not yet born.

"Like on Halloween?" Goten thinking of a costume covering his other self up to which he wouldn't be able to see his own body.

"No Stupid! If I landed at my home before I was in costume I'd still run the risk of running in to my own body. But if I go when I'm not born or a baby then the other me would not recognize…me." Trunks trying to explain his reasoning.

"Oh. That makes sense. So are you going to try to go in to the Past then?" Goten as he saw Trunks nod, "Safest thing to do. When should I go Goten?"

"Well, how long do you think it will be to make the time machine?" Goten asked smirking he knew he had yet to think about that.

"Oh! Uhhh, a good ten years easy." Trunks as he then wondered if he was right about going to the Past that it would be the safest thing to do, and wondered if his mom had any parts for a time machine in the first place. "Goten, let's go and ask my mom about going to the Past first, she may know of a good time to go and may even have an idea as to how to make the time machine!"

Trunks said running out the door with Goten right behind him.

Downstairs the Sons, Krillen, 18, Bulma and Vegeta were socializing at the table with snacks; waiting for the barbecue to be finished by the robot maid as the boys came running in.

"Hey Mom!" Trunks said getting every one's attention and his mother's.

"Yes Trunks?" Bulma turning to her son as did Vegeta.

"If I made a time machine and went in to the Past." Trunks unaware of his father's shocked face along with his mother's very surprised look, along with Krillen spatting out his tea as Goku gave a mysterious smile towards Vegeta who was glaring at him.

"OH NO YOU DON'T! DON'T YOU EVER THINK ABOUT THAT!" Bulma who had just thought about his future self dying at the hands of Cell, but as she saw her son's disappointed eyes as he turned around and walked back to his room with Goten muttering something about her not letting him finish his question, she became ashamed of herself.

She should have heard him out especially since she knew Future Trunks and how much she enjoyed spending time with him, but it was so dangerous and she knew very little of how the machine worked. If she knew more she would help Trunks with his idea of making a machine, but unfortunately she only had a look at it, and never even looked at how it worked.

"Woman, Good move." Vegeta whispered to her and knew he had thought of him dying at the hands of Cell too. His small compliment gave her the relief she needed to going back and enjoying the small get-together.

"So Trunks wants to go time traveling…" Krillen smiling but then seeing the glare from Vegeta dropped the subject and went back to the Tournament coming up.

Trunks walked beside Goten in silence wondering how he could figure out how to make the machine when he noticed they had passed his mother's lab.

"Hey Goten, hang on a second I want to see if their might be any parts that I can use in here." Trunks as he opened up the door and walked inside, Goten nodded and walked in behind him.

As Trunks looked around he noticed a bunch of empty capsules lying around and picked one up, when he noticed one lying on the ground a few feet away and picked it up, he in just plain curiosity threw it just to see what it is.

POOF!

An odd ugly looking machine that was covered in a lot of moss and junk stood in front of him, it smelled awful-like mold, or really bad eggs.

"Hey Goten, I can use this, let's capsule it and take it to my room, before it smells up the whole house!" Trunks as he went around the machine holding his breath and finding the place to re-capsule it opened it and pushed the button, as Goten found the air freshener and sprayed it, then turned on the fan.

"Man this thing stinks! But I bet it will be really helpful- a lot of parts make it up." Trunks as they walked in to his room.

"If you say so Trunks, but I bet it's just a bunch of useless junk! I mean did you even bother looking up there? The glass is broken." Goten as he looked at Trunks.

"Goten, I will make you eat those words." Trunks as he smirked, "After I come back from the past with all the proof."

………

………

Goten rolled his eyes, glad he didn't have to help Trunks with making the machine-it wasn't a part of the bet after all.

"GOTEN WE'RE LEAVING!" ChiChi shouted as she and Goku got ready to leave.

"Coming! See you later Trunks!" Goten as Trunks saw him and every one leave. He was curious as to why his mother didn't want to talk about it but figured it was just an adult thing.

Then sneaking in to his mother's lab again, he got the tools he may need-glad his mother had so many of each thing, and left to go up in his room when he remembered the Unused Lab. No one used it because it didn't have any air conditioning and so his Grandpa just ignored it like his mom. They didn't even use it for storage because it was so small. Trunks smirked and ran to it with everything and then closed it.

The room was about 500 square feet, and had a nice looking ceiling fan, and a good size work bench with a small filing cabinet, and a small bathroom that had good plumbing, and a small kitchen area, that was all. To Trunks he for some reason, really thought it was nice even though it had a dark gray color for paint. He then remembered something and left to get everything else he needed.

'Ten years to make a time machine, will it be enough?' Trunks thought as he flipped the switch for the ceiling fan and in his forest green gi and yellow boots, tossed the capsule and waited. He then took a sponge and a water bucket and began to take off all the moss and dirt, along with all the grime.

VISION

He opened the glass and got inside, and began working the controls-knowing what to do with what switch and button from heart, and smiled as he began to feel the machine come to life.

END OF VISION

Trunks blinked and immediately felt a deep connection with this machine. As if-he had just found something that was extremely dear to him-he found it odd since he had never seen it before in his life.

Taking off some more grime, he noticed a word-HOPE.

Suddenly the smell did not bother him, the junk became treasure, the odd shape became style, and for some reason he became even more excited and attached to this machine-like he had just found the other piece of his soul.

"You are so beautiful…you just need a little…touching up, and I bet you will shine like a Super Saiyan." Trunks as he began to work on it from natural instinct-like all along he knew exactly what needed to be done.

TO BE CONTINUED!


	2. Chapter 2

THE BET: CHAPTER TWO: FIRST TRY

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Trunks looked at the machine and smiled. It was almost done- he could tell, it just needed a little more paint.

Suddenly he remembered his mother saying something to him from a few months ago, when he wanted to bring up a new invention idea to his mom for the capsules.

"**When you are making something-no matter what it is- you should always do a practice session, I recommend at least two try outs with whatever it is you are making to make sure it works properly. You don't want to ruin a good thing because of a small problem. If it goes to the market with the defect it could cost someone their life or cause a serious injury. So be careful and make sure it works properly before even thinking of showing it to some one else. Remember this, Trunks." **

"Oh yeah, okay let's see two try out sessions…." Trunks as he began thinking of what to do when he noticed the peeling paint. It bothered him.

"I got to get some paint." Trunks thought aloud as he capsuled his time machine, "Oh I better call Goten and let him know I'm going to have a try-out session."

He picked up the phone and asked for Goten, they talked for awhile and he heard that right now he was eating and that he would show up for the real-thing, and that he could go ahead and have the try-out sessions without him. They then talked some more until ChiChi told Goten to get off the phone.

Trunks immediately looked at the door and narrowed his eyes, then left out the lab door. He then walked to his room and shut the door and looked at the clock, it was just about lunch time, and he was really hungry.

"Wait! Lunch time?! I was in there for a whole day! Oh man! I am so dead!" Trunks as he put the capsule in his capsule box and went to shower. After getting out he put on his boxers then his gray pants, white shirt, and then put on his yellow boots. He then combed his hair and making sure he had his capsule box in his pocket he left to go downstairs to the kitchen.

Glad his father was training he went in to the kitchen and ordered his food, waiting for it he began to wonder when he should go for his first try out; remembering when he first started training was a good date and wrote that down mentally.

"Here you go sir." A robot maid setting down the food.

"Thanks!" Trunks then began to eat like there would be no more food for ages to come.

After quickly eating, he took off to the local Hardware store and purchase a few gallons of the sun gold color and a new lock, then after putting them in a box, flew back home. Not wanting his mother to see them, quickly went through the back door to his lab and opened it.

After replacing the lock on the door, he brought out his time machine and started using his first one gallon of paint with a neat brush.

Using the brush he went and tried one section and prayed it was the color.

"Please be the same shade…don't let me be wrong….please….Yes! Alright!" Trunks happily going up and down with the brush more confidently, then soon finished one whole side of his time machine when dusk approached.

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Vegeta knew Trunks was upset with his mother, but ditching their training session, was something that you just don't do. So he sensed out the boy.

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Trunks was finally finished with his time machine, and because it was the Quick-Dry paint it was all done. He made sure because he ran his hand gently over his now glowing machine.

The glass was the only thing left, but that could wait, for now he wanted to try out his machine, so setting a date and time, he jumped in and pressed the right controls.

Feeling strangely like he had done this before, he grew excited and soon saw the ground disappear.

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Vegeta stopped walking, as he felt his son's chi disappear off of the face of the Earth.

Flying to where he sensed it last realized that he had to have been in the hallway since he never went in to any of the labs, and realized something was off.

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Trunks landed in a desert.

"This isn't where I wanted to go." Trunks thought as he jumped out and capsuled the time machine and put it in his capsule box, and put it in one of his pockets.

"There you are Trunks, I was looking for you. I was starting to think that you had forgotten our training session."

"No of course I didn't." Trunks as he got into his fighting stance. 'Who the heck is this guy, he sure looks a lot like Goku.'

"Oh Trunks don't tell me you forgot everything about my technique? Remember you are being trained by Son Gohan not yourself." Gohan said as he uncrossed his arms.

"What do you mean? Am I doing something wrong?" Trunks was confused, he swore this was the fighting stance his father taught him.

"Let's review the basics…" Gohan as he walked up to Trunks, "Today I fought the androids so we should be able to use up the rest of the day for training."

Trunks smiled a little as his stomach dropped, "A whole day of training?" 'My dad's going to kill me.'

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Unknown to Trunks he had ended up staying in that time for a whole week, and was missing in his time for three days. That week he had undergone Gohan's teachings. In that time Future Trunks had been in the city that the androids had attacked after dealing with Gohan, and fought them until they grew tired of dealing with him and just left, but not before beating him to the point of unconsciousness. Bulma was taking care of him at their home as Gohan wondered if what he was sensing was just a fear that he had realized when he agreed to train Trunks.

The fear that, they might not succeed in defeating the androids, no matter how hard they trained.

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"You mean Goten, that you honestly haven't seen him?" Bulma asked as ChiChi and Goku stood by him as he nodded.

"Darn it! Where did he go?" Bulma as she turned to Gohan who was wondering where the kid could have gone.

Vegeta focused on finding his son's energy and realized it just wasn't around.

"Maybe he time traveled?" Goten as he tilted his head.

"Goten! This is not the time." Gohan as he turned to his brother thinking that he was joking.

Goku looked at Goten and felt, that it wasn't a lie.

"We'll go to the Lookout and see if he went there." Krillen and 18 who was holding Marron.

"I'll check Master Roshi's." Gohan

"Goten and I will search their training areas." Goku said knowing that Goten and Trunks always trained near his home.

"Alright, I'll wait at home just in case he returns." Bulma as she got in her yellow plane as Vegeta flew off to search elsewhere.

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………….

"So Goten, you think he time traveled?" Goku as he flew beside his son towards the middle of the forest.

"Yeah." Goten as he continued to fly.

"How come? Did he a make a time machine?" Goku remembering Trunks coming up to Bulma and asking about going in to the Past.

"I think so." Goten as he looked at his dad with a curious look, 'Does he really want to know or is he just going to yell at me and Trunks?'

"Really? That's so cool! How did he get the idea? And the parts? Does it really work?" Goku as he acted excited and cheerful, and noticing Goten was now excited about the subject started talking about the bet.

Goku was really surprised, but then a little confused, "If you were supposed to see him off, why did he leave on his own?"

"To test the machine." Goten said excitedly, "I couldn't go because we were going shopping that day so I told Trunks that I would be there for the real trips, so he said okay."

"I see." Goku as he saw his son smile, 'Poor Vegeta, he is probably really worried. I knew he was upset over the idea, but to know he actually went through with it.' He thought as he wondered when to tell him. 'I guess before he blows up a city in frustration of not finding him.' "Come on Goten let's go help Vegeta search for Trunks."

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Trunks immediately saw another city crumble as the androids attacked it fiercely.

Gohan and he had tried to take them on again but it just didn't work. Nothing they did seemed to faze them, and sad to admit it he really was starting to despise 18-even though he knew in his time she's a good woman. Then again, for some reason, the longer he stayed here the more he questioned what he knew.

"Hey there, care to come out and play? Or do you want us to come in?" 17 as he floated down to where they hid in the small rock canyon.

Trunks suddenly felt arms around him and noticed Gohan was covering him as if he knew what was coming, and sure enough Trunks heard the sound of a huge chi blast and saw a bright light behind Gohan, it forced him to shut his eyes.

He heard a huge scream that made him almost go deaf, and it seemed endless to Trunks who knew it was Gohan protecting him.

Suddenly it went black.

He woke up and saw Gohan lying beside him his face in the dirt and blood all over the place.

"No, no you can't die." Trunks as he stood up and fell on his knees beside him, and picking him up put him over his shoulders as if he was going to give him a piggy back ride and concentrated all of his energy in to making it towards his mother's chi.

Trying to keep his eyes open and focused, every few seconds he blinked and concentrated on his energy and holding Gohan up.

He however, knew somehow, that he couldn't keep it up and fell to the Earth, feeling Gohan slipping off of his back.

Falling in to the ground he noticed a bunch of rocks, and grasping on to one, stood up and remembering Gohan he looked up just in time to see his other self catch him and fly off.

"That. Was. Close." Trunks as he swayed and then felt his hand, feeling something odd he looked down and saw that what his hand was on was a carving. "Here lays Vegeta, the Prince of…SAIYANS! NO! NO! NOOOO!"

Trunks fell to his knees crying as he read that beside his dad's grave were the others' tombstones, and now desperately wanting to get home he found his capsule box in his pocket, took out the capsule and tossed it.

Then with his last bit of adrenaline, he punched in the right coordinates and went home.

He took the time he traveled to think about everything he was taught and what he experienced. He was scared, very scared. He never wanted to experience anything like that again. Then smelling something metallic, looked down and saw his hand was covered in blood that he saw was coming from his abdomen.

Landing in his lab, he capsuled his machine and put it in his capsule box, then snucked in to the kitchen and ate a senzu bean. Unknown to him his parents were on the Lookout hoping that Dende could spot him.

He went to his bedroom and took off his clothes, he showered as a robot maid picked up the clothes and saw that they needed to be thrown out.

"I was so weak! I couldn't even put up a fight! How could they?" Trunks as he clenched his fists in the shower and remembered what the other time looked like and the androids eyes as they enjoyed killing all those people. "I will never let them or anyone else make my world in to that. I will protect it! I will!"

Trunks as he opened them. Getting out of the shower he turned off the water and clothed himself in his second pair of gray pants and dark blue shirt, then putting on white socks, he walked down the stairs, 'I'll become stronger than everyone. Including my dad.'

He then walked up to his dad as he saw him glaring at him as his mother rushed up to him, "TRUNKS! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN! We were looking for you! My gawd Trunks three days you have been gone! THREE! No note or anything! Trunks you should have called! Where were you?"

"I was training by myself out in the country. I was so in to it that I forgot to call." Trunks as he eyed his mother and hugged her and apologized then eyed his father.

Vegeta was angry with him but was relieved that he was home. He then turned to go to his gravity room when he heard his son's voice.

"Dad, wait." Trunks as he walked up to him.

Vegeta eyed him as he walked up to him and smiled.

POW!

Vegeta went flying out through the wall, and into his gravity room.

"TRUNKS!"

"Sorry mom, but I missed out on my training with dad." Trunks as he smirked and flew off after Vegeta and punched him in the face then kicked him in the stomach, unaware that he was actually landing punches and kicks that before he would not have been able to and using Gohan's techniques and tricks that he showed him-with ease.

Bulma just sighed and went to tell the others he was home and his reason for being gone, of course Goku and ChiChi were the first on her list.

Vegeta was at first shocked, but amazed that his son now had the gall to take him on, of course he had gone off and trained on his own and obviously felt he could put up a good fight. So he decided to let his boy have his training session with him, just to see how much he had improved. Knowing he had gone off on his own to train made Vegeta feel proud, he had obviously made the boy have the desire to improve himself-something every warrior needed to feel to keep up with his training.

Maybe, just may be his son could become a greater warrior than Kakkarot's son, but then he remembered that Kakkarot thought he had time traveled, and scoffed at the idea.

'Then again, the boy has the brains of his mother.' Vegeta thought as he turned his mind on training with his son, but put that thought on the backburner to remember later, along with what Kakkarot had said, just in case.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. Chapter 3

THE BET: CHAPTER THREE-FIVE YEARS LATER

Trunks: 13 Goten: 12

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Five years later, Trunks had been training with his father, remembering everything as if it was yesterday from his first try-out with his time machine.

Goten and he were still stubborn about the bet, in fact they mostly talked about it when they were hanging out which was a lot because they still trained together-more vigorously now then ever.

During Majin Buu they learned the Fusion Technique, but Goten had mostly taken control of the fusion -due to the fact that Trunks actually didn't want to run the risk of him learning what could have happened, if android 18 turned evil since they were so close to her.

Trunks was always wondering though, if what he saw had happened in this time and then perhaps-like Majin Buu,18 became good when her evil half had been destroyed-or something like that. He always figured Cell had been the one controlling the androids from afar and as soon as he died, their evil parts died with him, and so they turned good.

Then again he never heard the story about 17 and 18- just the story about Cell.

Still whatever it was, he still felt his fiery passion and determination of not letting anyone make his planet like _that_ world. No matter who or what it was, and so trained vigorously -_with or without_ anyone. In fact he was as determined as Goku, Piccolo, and his dad altogether when it came to his training. So much so, that his mother ended up making him a gravity room just in case him and his dad destroyed one they had another to use. (This gave her the opportunity to take her time in fixing the gravity room that was broken and not feel so pressured in fixing it.)

Wearing his gray pants, and his white shirt with blue sleeves, and black gi boots with white laces, he waited patiently for his dad and Goku to finish eating, so they could go and train. His hair was parted to his left side, a strand landed in his eyes and so he moved it with his left thumb, unaware that Goku had taken a small break in eating to look at him.

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Trunks actually surprised everyone by wanting to train more than anyone-in fact whenever the Sons came over or the Briefs went over to the Sons, he immediately asked Goku (and/or Piccolo depending if he was there or not) to train with him, since Gohan was rarely around. If nobody came over-he was usually heard training with his father in the Gravity Room or just training by himself in his gravity room, either way he was training.

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Bulma was glad he was training, but still wondered why he all of a sudden had a complete interest in fighting. She topped it off as having Vegeta around or his Saiyan genes inside of him, however, she just had this strange inkling that he did somehow succeed in time traveling and that caused him to have this desire to fight. Still she could just be over thinking it. She thought as she sipped her tea as she watched her son leave with Goku and Vegeta to go to his gravity room to train.

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Goku had told the others, right after he spoke to Vegeta since they didn't know if Trunks had a time machine or if the Bet was still on, to not approach them about it-since like the other things they were in to-they probably would have let it go by now. Naturally Bulma and ChiChi had been furious about it, but they still managed to let it go.

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Goku was at first surprised, but now started to worry about him. He knew something else was going on ever since he had been away for three days. It was something in his eyes, hidden behind the mask he wore. He could see it because of his experience with reading Vegeta's expressions.

Something was up. He knew it and so did Vegeta.

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After training he knew the others were just going to watch several movies so he went to his lab.

Trunks took a breath. He was ready for his second try-out with the time machine. He decided to go back in time to last weekend when he turned thirteen.

Hopping in to his time machine, he wondered how _that_ Gohan was doing, and hoping to learn more from him. He still remembered everything he had taught him, and still used those techniques even today. Excited, he fixed the coordinates so he could set the specific place and time, so he figured the forest near Goku's was the best place to arrive in since the trees would cover his ship.

Going in he shut the now fixed glass dome and activated the time machine.

Arriving in the world he noticed it was pretty dark for being mid-afternoon. Capsuling his time machine he decided to walk around. He noticed the place was not anywhere near Goku's and put it in his memory to fix the landing sector of the programming, since this was the second time it messed up.

Frowning he walked through the town that was still burning, the awful metallic smell hit his nose so much that it came in to the back of his throat and under his tongue. Then he saw it, bodies and their parts were lying all over the place, blood splattered the ruins, along with the ground which he stepped on. The rain didn't seem to be able to wash away anything as he continued to walk around the wreckage and bodies. His eyes were somehow taking in everything and burning it in to his memory, even though he tried hard not to think.

Hearing a loud, desperate, and agonizing scream he immediately recognized it hearing it before from the last time he was here.

Flying as fast as he could he went straight towards the area only to get a face full of blood as he witnessed 17 and 18 throwing multiple chi blasts on to Gohan who was laying face up on the ground, his body now butchered apart in to multiple pieces.

Unaware that his clothes were sprayed with blood, he walked up to Gohan and fell on to his knees.

His eyes became a deep sapphire blue as his hair became dark purple as he got drenched in the pouring rain. Unaware of how ice cold his body became, he stood up and staggered back to the forest and threw his capsule down and went back home, unaware that it had only been five minutes in his world at the most.

Arriving back in his world, in his lab, he opened the glass dome, and re-capsuled it. Walking passed the many doors, he went straight to his room, and shut the door. Tears drenched his face as he went to his closet and took out his sword, going back to his lab he sat in the middle of the room, crying as he sharpened his sword for the battle he knew was about to come in the Past.

An hour later, he stood up and walked back to his bed room and showered. Now in dark blue boxers he sat on his bed looking at his sword that was on his lap and the capsule that was in his left hand, then put it in his capsule box and put that inside his pocket.

The Robot maid came in and picked up his clothes, unaware of the deep loathing that was in Trunks' eyes as he walked up to it with his sword in his right hand and slashed it apart.

"No. More." Trunks as he looked at the pieces of the robot on the ground. He walked up to his closet and took out a set of clothes that he liked. Putting them on, he gave a small smile, and picked up his sword.

Going to his lab, he put the sword on the table and measured it then, matching the length correctly he began to cut up one of his old jackets. Then picking up the pieces of scrap metal he had from working on his time machine he fixed up the sheath and attached the strap with the last bit of material from his jacket. Then noticing he needed a buckle went to his mother's lab and saw a belt she never wore and took it off, returning to his lab he attached it, and smiled.

Putting it on he adjusted the strap to where he needed it, and then took his sword gently in his hand and tossed it then moved to hear it land perfectly in the sheath.

Trunks then walked out of his lab and locked the door. Then walked out the back door to train and learn how to use his sword in his gravity room. Knowing that now the bet wasn't why he was going to do his time traveling anymore, but for his own reason, even though he still would keep his side of the bet going, out of respect for Goten.

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"As a martial artist I understand the love for training, I do I really do, but don't you think Trunks has come to be a bit obsessed with it?" Krillen asked Bulma as he pointed out the window to where they could see Trunks' gravity room. The lights were on and you could tell there were chi blasts going around through its window, where his figure could be seen dodging it or hitting it with another chi blast once in awhile.

"I completely agree Krillen but still what can I do? I mean it's not like I can stop him- he is Vegeta's son, after all." Bulma as she saw him nod.

"Goku what do you think?" Krillen asked as he turned to see his friend slurping up a huge spaghetti noodle and had spots of sauce around his mouth.

"Didja say somdin Kririm?" Goku with his mouth full, and then saw Krillen shake his head.

"Never mind." Krillen muttered as he shook his head and then turned to the second Saiyan who was eating like the food was going to disappear any second-the father of said half Saiyan. He knew not to ask him, considering this was what he had been training "the Boy" to do and knew he had to be proud of himself now.

"Still it is a bit odd-if I remember right-he was gone for three days and all of a sudden just dived in to training like he all of a sudden became desperate to get stronger." Tien as he turned to Krillen who nodded, then noticed Goten who was eating up a storm like his dad.

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His built was exactly identical to Goku now in fact you could barely tell them apart- except for Goten's hair being towards his shoulder blades thanks to his "makeover" so he wouldn't be confused with his dad.

"Done, I'm going to go train with Trunks now!" Goten as he ran outside and pounded on the gravity room, then screamed as the door was blown off, he ran then dived so the blast that was after him went in to the wall, and blew it up instead of him.

"DARN IT TRUNKS! YOU ALMOST HAD ME!" Goten as he glared at his friend, who came outside with a black tank top, dark blue jeans and yellow boots, and his sword.

"Why didn't you just knock it aside? It wasn't that powerful." Trunks as he walked sipping his water bottle his hair now parted.

"Oh? Well I'm sorry Trunks, but if you saw that huge thing as soon as you open a door…" Goten letting his sentence trail off.

"I would have put my hand out and knocked it away from me or cross my arms and blocked it." Trunks rolling his eyes, as Goten glared at him.

…………….

…………….

CRASH!

Bulma had been washing the dishes when she saw Trunks come out and dropped the dish she had just rinsed in to the sink; it broke on impact getting everyone's attention.

Seeing her looking out the window, Goku, Vegeta, and Krillen followed her gaze and saw her son throw his sword and saw it flip and land perfectly in his sheath. Trunks was obviously speaking to Goten about something serious since both had expressions of deep thought, when obviously Goten got an idea.

……………..

……………..

"Do you remember when I was waiting for my dad to come back to life before the tournament? Well I had been talking to Gohan and he told me that my dad got sick with this really bad virus around the time of the Cell Games, so you could give him the antidote-if that machine of yours works. You know for your first trip, then for your second you can go and help out with the Cell Games, how does that sound?" Goten as he looked at his friend and smiled.

"Sounds good, Goten, and of course you will see me off?" Trunks asked as he smirked remembering his side of the bargain.

"Well yeah! Who else will prove that the time machine theory is completely wrong!" Goten as he laughed and then began to run as Trunks clenched his sword and flew after him swinging his sword to the right then the left, shouting profanities that ChiChi would kill him if she heard.

TO BE CONTINUED….


	4. Chapter 4

THE BET: CHAPTER 4- CRASH AND BURN

Trunks: 16 years old- His hair is still parted to the right.

Goten: 15 years old

**FRIDAY: ELEVEN PM**

Three years later, Trunks looked at his time machine, and wondered if it still worked. He had another year to go and was worried that since he had just been working on the interior, and had been focusing most of his energy on training, and not actually used the time machine in the past two years, that maybe it wouldn't work in a year.

So he figured another try-out session was in order.

Making sure he had his tools and mechanical supplies in a capsule, and a good set of clothes in another, he closed his capsule box and put it in his jacket pocket, then grabbing the small bag of six senzu beans, he walked up to the time machine. He was hoping his mom and dad would not notice them missing from their emergency supply.

Taking a breath, he flew in to his machine and closed the glass dome, then making sure his sword was secured he closed the glass dome and activated his time machine. Wearing his light blue jacket, his sword, white t-shirt, and dark blue pants and yellow boots, he went to the Past, hoping this experience would be A LOT better than his previous trip.

On arrival, he noticed he was in a ruined city. Capsuling his time machine quickly, he looked around when he heard a couple of voices near a few ruined cars. Flying over to where the voices were, he wondered what was going on as he went in to a building.

Hearing a few humans' scream, he was surprised that 18 popped up in front of him.

"Hey 17 we missed one." 18 as she looked at him, she suddenly punched him up in to the ceiling.

"Good, I didn't want the fun to end just yet."

Trunks landed on his side, as he heard the masculine voice of 17. Trunks tried landing several punches and kicks, and did on many accounts, he even turned Super Saiyan, but nothing he did seemed to faze them, no matter how hard he tried. Then he decided to try many chi blasts and a lot of his other techniques, but they didn't seem to work.

Nothing worked.

17 and 18 were just way to strong!

"He's no fun anymore, what do you saw we kill him 17?"

"Sure why not?"

Trunks was afraid, so much so that he didn't know what to think, they-18 and 17, were just going to kill him-just like that.

Trunks was out of breath as the two looked at him from where they had pummeled him in to the ground in the flower garden, he clenched on to his Super Saiyan form with every ounce of energy, knowing now it was his lifeline.

How could 18 do this? Then again they weren't serious, were they?

17 suddenly asked 18, "You don't mind if I do the honors?"

'She didn't?' Trunks thought as he saw her just shrug and look like she didn't care. He suddenly saw and sense the powerful chi blast coming from 17's finger in to his stomach making him land in the water, he was powerless to stop it. He felt the ice cold water entering from every one of his wounds like icicles piercing his skin, and saw his own blood floating in front of him, then felt his lungs burning with the need for oxygen as he struggled to the surface.

For once in his life he didn't mind the sharpness of a rock grazing and piercing in to his skin as he grasped on to it and felt it dig deeper as he pulled himself up as the rock's cut grew wider and deeper as he did.

He couldn't help but groan as he took his hand off of the rock, but apparently it upset the two androids.

"Darn him! I give him credit he's tougher than I thought." 17 said as he turned around and glared at him.

'What did I do?' Trunks thought as he felt his eyes grow heavy and his body go weak from everything that he had just been through.

Suddenly he heard something and felt a huge painful chi blast hit his stomach and felt his back and spine shriek in pain from hitting something hard.

He felt them land. He heard 18's voice as she pronounced him dead.

17 walked up to him and put his shoe under his chin, forcing Trunks to stare in to his ruthless, cold ice blue eyes.

'What did I do? I just arrived. Did my other self do something? Why did they hurt these people? I don't get it…'

"Huh?" They were obviously surprised to see him still alive.

"Why? I don't get it. Tell me, why are you two doing this?" Trunks as he looked up at the two of them.

"Dr. Gero created us for the purpose of world domination, but that doesn't really matter to us, not at all." 17

"Whenever we see you humans it angers us, we hate you humans." 18

"What? You monsters!" Trunks not believing what he had just heard, but the look in the two androids eyes, it was the truth. He even sensed that they had no emotions from what they had just done.

.

"Be gone!" 17 starting up a huge chi blast when 18 interfered.

Trunks felt the tiniest bit of hope that maybe she was going to save him. Maybe she wasn't…

"Wait. Let me do this one." 18 said as she smiled and powered up a huge chi blast.

Trunks was frozen as he saw the huge blast, and then he saw her thrill of throwing it.

He couldn't keep himself from screaming as he felt an unimaginable pain that went through every core of his body.

No amount of training prepared him for this, and that was when an odd realization came to him: no one was here to help him.

Not his father, nor Goten.

Or Goku….no one.

He was alone.

And with that thought, he fell in to darkness-unknown to him his soul traveled to a place that no one except two beings ever went to.

…

…

A red odd liquid appeared out of nowhere and suddenly became the shape of a human, and suddenly disappeared to show a five foot man. He had black short hair that almost looked like it was gelled, and six black strands that fell carelessly on his forehead like bangs down towards his cheeks, and eyes that were completely ruby red, including the pupils, that shined with interest. The man had pure white albino skin and wore midnight black turtleneck, silk pants, and black buckle boots.

He stared from where he sat, up on a windowsill swaying his legs back and forth in a smooth and graceful rhythm.

"_I've been waiting a long time to see you again." _Homunculus as he saw the young man stand and look up at him.

"Huh? Who are you?" Trunks as he saw the strange-looking man jump and land on his feet in front of him.

"_I am Homunculus, not that there is much in a name. I've looked for you everywhere." _ Homunculus said as he looked at Trunks with a smile.

"Why? I don't even know you." Trunks said as he wondered through this whole time why on Earth he felt like he should know him-in fact everything about this whole entire place screamed at him with a strange sense of familiarity.

Homunculus chuckled and saw the strange curiosity shining in the sapphire blue eyes.

"_You don't for now but that is because I haven't returned your memories. You see every time you die you leave your memories and the majority of your power with me before you relinquish your spirit from its vessel. See it is right here." _ Homunculus said as he brought up his right hand and showed Trunks an amethyst jewel that was the size of a golf ball.

Seeing it made Trunks have a strange sensation in his mind, as if this was the answer to everything even though it made no sense to him whatsoever. Yet, he knew in some strange way that this was his reason for going to the Past.

"_Well what do you think?" _Homunculus as he walked up to Trunks and before the young man could do anything used his telekinesis to send it in to his body.

He saw Trunks fall to the ground as a circular ring circled his body on the ground, then after a blue flash filled the room, he stood in his very old, before his last life time, outfit. It was the one he wore whenever he was with him, his brother-Homunculus.

"_How are things?" _ Homunculus as he looked at his brother walking up to him.

"Much better, thanks." Trunks said looking at his sapphire blue silk outfit that was exactly like his brother's-only he had no shoes on since he preferred being barefoot ever since their beginning, and rolled his eyes. "Honestly Cu (pronounced: Q), must you change my outfit EVERY time we do this?"

Homunculus chuckled, _"Of course."_

"Honestly you're lucky we have the same mother." Future Trunks said referring not to Bulma, but to his true mother. "Well I have to go."

"_Good luck_." Homunculus

….

….

**IN THE FUTURE WORLD**

Getting out of the rubble he sensed his true self had been transported and finally stood. He sighed as he shook his head to leave, when he heard a frustrated growl that he couldn't help but recognize.

"DARN YOU!" Android 17 shouted as he saw Trunks getting out from the rubble from his position on top of a car where he was following 18 doing pot shots around the debris they had.

Android 18 glared furious as she noticed that he was somehow untouched by her last attack that should have finished him off. Clenching her fists she turned to her brother enraged.

"17 I'M GETTING SICK OF THIS! LET'S FINISH HIM! NOW!"

17 nodded and together they attacked him head on.

And so he continued his life the way he was meant to, until he supposedly died at the hands of Cell, who stole his time machine and made his way in to the Past. Unknown to Cell, he had only killed a shadow that was made only to make sure he played his part in history.

…

…

Trunks sighed as he noticed it was time for him to go, and so with a quick "I'll see you later!" to his brother, he teleported himself back to his time.

**IN THE PRESENT WORLD OF DBZ**

Vegeta was furious he had noticed the boy had been gone for an hour and there was no sign of him. Nobody knew where he was.

Trunks arrived in his room, smiling down at his capsule box. Knowing now that he was truly alive he did not actually need the machine, but he still felt truly attached to it, and so kept it with him instead of destroying it.

He smiled as he walked down the stairs knowing now he could finally play his part, he flew out of his window to Goku's house.

Figuring he had been missing a week, so another week wouldn't be a problem to fix everything.

He went straight up to Goten who was flying towards Capsule Corp., and met him half-way.

"TRUNKS! Hey how's it going?" Goten said as he walked up to him. "Something's different about you?"

"It's because I've got some great news! The Time Machine is ready." Trunks said as he smiled.

"Awesome!" Goten as he smirked. "When do you want to go?"

"On the first." Trunks said knowing that it was in two weeks.

"I take it you want to start the New Year off by proving I'm right? Wow, that's nice of you." Goten

"No by proving your wrong!" Trunks said smiling as Goten punched him, but missed because he blocked it and ended up getting punched by Trunks instead.

They then flew off to their training ground and trained until it was dinnertime.

TO BE CONTINUED…


End file.
